EMISSARY
Country: USA
Genre: Thrash/Heavy/Power Metal
Founded: 1989
EMISSARY Lead vocalist Jym Harris joined forces with fellow songwriter and guitarist Tim “Mothman” Dahlen in early 1993. Harris’ lyrics and melodic vocal style complimented Dahlen’s thrash-influenced guitar riffs, so Harris adopted the moniker of his 1989 Las Vegas band, and the duo founded what is now known as “The Original” EMISSARY.
After a few lineup changes, the band hired famed producer Chuck Rosa (LA GUNS, ABATTOIR, LAAZ ROCKIT) to record their most widely distributed demo in early 1994. A few studio sessions later, EMISSARY was frequently being heard on local radio stations and was becoming the most well-known Heavy Metal act in Southern Oregon. They spent the next two years playing numerous shows across the American West Coast, sharing the stage with heavy-hitters such as DOKKEN. Unfortunately, the Pacific Northwest was being dominated by the Alternative Rock movement and fewer opportunities were presenting themselves, so EMISSARY disbanded in early 1996.
More than two decades later, EMISSARY appeared in the historical book “RUSTED METAL: A Guide to Hard Rock and Heavy Metal in the Pacific Northwest 1970-1995” and the former members reconnected about a possible reunion. In early 2021, Harris and Dahlen recruited second guitarist Charlie Francipane and reunited with drummer Eric Hoover and bassist Peter Shawn Kinney to play their first show in a quarter-century as direct support for veteran rockers TESLA. Later that month, they appeared at California’s REDWOOD METALFEST alongside acts such as LICH KING, MORDRED, BLIND ILLUSION, and SKITZO, before finishing their first full-length album. Once the album was complete, the band toured the US in 2022, performing at Chicago’s legendary LEGIONS OF METAL festival alongside veteran acts like RIOT V and NASTY SAVAGE. They shared the stage with Stephen Pearcy of RATT in May of 2022, where the band introduced new drummer Tony Mullins, formerly of Portland, Oregon thrashers SAVIOR.
“The Wretched Masquerade” is comprised mostly of new recordings of the band’s classic material, with a guest guitar solo by Claudeous Creamer of Bay Area legends POSSESSED on one track. The album was produced by Doug Hill (HELMET, MASTODON, SYLENT STORM) and mastered by Jamie King (FLOTSAM & JETSAM, CRO-MAGS, BETWEEN THE BURIED & ME), with a cover illustration by Don Yatomi (MEGADETH, TOURNIQUET, SYLENT STORM). The album became available on nearly all digital platforms worldwide in March of 2022 before the band independently released a limited cassette edition. In June of 2022, the CD and a deluxe 2-disc version (featuring bonus tracks of the band’s original demos) were released by Germany’s UNDERGROUND POWER RECORDS, who have a vinyl edition planned as well.
In May of 2023, Emissary dropped ‘The Crystal Witch”; their first digital single since the release of the debut album. The track features the same team for artwork, mixing and mastering, but it is the first studio recording of the current lineup of Harris, Dahlen, Kinney, Francipane and Mullins. After the single went live, the band shared the stage with Sebastian Bach of SKID ROW the following day. Emissary plans to release another full-length LP by early 2024.
Members of the band:
JYM HARRIS – LEAD VOCALS
TIM DAHLEN – GUITAR, VOCALS
CHARLIE FRANCIPANE – GUITAR
PETER SHAWN KINNEY – BASS, VOCALS
TONY MULLINS – DRUMS, VOCALS
Links:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/emissarymetalband
Bandcamp: https://theoriginalemissary.bandcamp.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theoriginalemissary422
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_original_emissary/